Was the Jets game a sign of the Patriots' future?

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Quick thoughts and notes on the New England Patriots and the NFL:

1. Identity of the Patriots: After the 24-3 loss to the New York Jets on Thursday, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo and his top assistants Alex Van Pelt and DeMarcus Covington talked about a common topic.

That wasn't us.

Their first two games – a 16-10 win over the Bengals and a 23-20 overtime loss to the Seahawks – reflected well on players and coaches. The Patriots played hard, were solid overall and appeared to be ahead of schedule considering ESPN's Football Power Index projected them with the fewest wins in 2024.

Then they crashed into the Jets and went under, apparently because they had forgotten what had mainly shaped them in the first two weeks.

They are an aggressive running team that must protect a shorthanded offensive line that has struggled at times to defend passes. They are a forceful defense that fights for the ball, tackles well and forces turnovers.

“We tried to play by a formula and I think we did a good job of that the first two weeks,” center and longtime captain David Andrews said after Thursday's loss. “That wasn't it.”

All this makes for an exciting week for the Patriots (1-2), as no one knows which way things will go.

With a challenging road game against the reigning NFC champion San Francisco 49ers ahead of them, the Patriots can prove their identity by going back to basics and ultimately chalking up the disappointing performance as a slip-up that sometimes happens to teams in close Thursday games.

Or Thursday's results really do come closer to that, which would then raise the question of whether the Patriots team played so far above its capabilities in Weeks 1 and 2 that this was the highlight of the season.

Safety and new captain Jabrill Peppers said before the players return to work on Monday, they need to “organize, refocus and heal their minds.”

That may be nowhere more important than on the offensive line, where the potential return of left guard Sidy Sow (ankle) is a bright spot for a unit that's been holding the team back. Consider that a 48.6% pressure rate against the Jets was the highest the Patriots have allowed since 2016, according to ESPN Research. Sow won't be able to fill the gaping hole at the left tackle position — the injured Vederian Lowe (knee) has been the best of a shaky unit — but the Patriots could use any kind of good news on offense.

Probably referring to the deficiencies in the offensive line, Mayo said: “We have to be very conscious about the game and adapt during the game.”

Whether they can reach that level again will be a challenging test for Mayo and his coaching staff at the start of the season.

2nd day of May: The extent of the interest in the development of rookie quarterback Drake Maye is shown by the fact that reporters surrounded him in the visitors' locker room on Thursday evening after he was substituted for a drive towards the end of the fourth quarter.

Maye's parents, Mark and Aimee, were at the game to watch his first regular-season appearance (16 snaps), which Maye described as bittersweet as it was a crushing loss. Maye (4 of 8 for 22 yards; 2 carries for 12 yards) was hard on himself for taking two sacks, but he also saw some positives to build on as he converted four first downs.

Van Pelt viewed Maye's drive as a building block.

“I thought it was a great experience for him to be there, especially in a night game in New York,” he said. “I thought it was a great start for him. He definitely has some things to improve in his game, but he made some shots and made some plays with his legs. I'm confident about his future.”

Van Pelt described Maye's footwork under pressure as “up and down.”

“There were some things that needed to be corrected, and that's usually the case when you first get into a live game – it can throw you off track and you fall back again,” he said. “There's still work in progress; he'll be able to take it to the next level.”

Maye plans to visit his alma mater in North Carolina during the players' weekend off.

3. Stevenson’s fumble: Fourth-year running back Rhamondre Stevenson lost just one fumble in all of 2023, a turnaround from the 2022 season when he lost four fumbles. But things have gone in the wrong direction again this season. He has committed a fumble in each of the first three games and seemed to be seething over it after Thursday's loss.

“I have to keep the ball on the ball,” he said matter-of-factly about this worrying trend.

Van Pelt explained what this means for Stevenson in the coming weeks.

“Job security means ball security and now he has a target on his back. Teams are going to see that and go after the football,” Van Pelt said. “I know he's going to take care of it. I know he takes pride in (being ball security) and that it makes him better.”

4. Brissett hit: Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett has been sacked nine times, and after taking 15 hits in Thursday's loss to the Jets, he has now been hit 30 times in three games, showing how shaky the pass defense has been at times, as well as Brissett's toughness.

“One thing is certain: I always get back up,” he says.

This has endeared him to players and coaches, starting with Maye.

“That speaks volumes. I told him on the sidelines, 'That's how you represent a quarterback out there,'” Maye said.

5. Communication check: Linebacker Jahlani Tavai had the communication device in his helmet as his primary communication partner to the sideline on Thursday, filling the gap created by Ja'Whaun Bentley's torn pectoral muscle.

Tavai, Mayo and Covington felt communication was not a problem. Their bigger concern was the sloppy tackling that is Bentley's strength.

“It's always tough when you lose a player like Bentley, but I feel like we have players who can step in and fill those roles,” Mayo said, referring to Tavai and Raekwon McMillan.

6. Bourne at the turning point: Fifth-year veteran KJ Osborn has played more than any other Patriots receiver in three games, totaling 130 snaps, serving primarily as a blocker in the running game. In the passing game, Osborn has totaled just four catches for 28 yards.

With veteran Kendrick Bourne cleared to return to practice after Week 4 and coming off the physically unable to perform list, he could potentially take over Osborn's role if things continue in the same direction. Mayo noted in his pregame radio interview that Bourne is performing as expected.

“He's done a great job and is close. We're excited to have him back in the room,” Mayo said.

7. Touchback Team: Jeremy Springer, in his first year as the Patriots' special teams coordinator, approached the new kickoff rules with great determination.

Through three games, all 11 of the Patriots' kickoffs went into the end zone, with nine touchbacks. So instead of strategically putting the ball in play in the landing zone and forcing a return, Springer and Mayo were essentially content to let the opponent start at their own 30-yard line. Springer, who acknowledges that things could change, said there were more touchbacks leaguewide than he initially expected.

8. Kromah Report: The Patriots signed rookie defensive end/outside linebacker Jamree Kromah from the Bears' practice squad on Wednesday, filling the void left by the injury list of outside linebacker Oshane Ximines (knee). Kromah has excellent physical attributes: He is 6-foot-3, weighs 270 pounds and has an 34-inch arm, which helped make him a coveted free agent after going undrafted by James Madison.

Kromah played 63 defensive snaps in the preseason — the Bears had an extra game as they were part of the inaugural Hall of Fame Game — and his improvement during that time period, as well as previous scouting reports, likely contributed to the Patriots' aspirations. But he didn't appear often on special teams (just seven snaps), which is a big part of the role Ximines filled for the Patriots.

9. Anderson reunion: Thursday was a painful result for the Patriots, but not so much for one of their longtime former employees. Kevin Anderson, who entered the NFL in 2006 as an operations assistant with the Patriots and spent 10 years in Foxborough before joining the Lions for six years, is in his first year as chief of staff to Jets head coach Robert Saleh.

Among other things, he met on the field before the game with Patriots assistant Matthew Slater and former safety Devin McCourty (who commented on the game on national radio).

10. Did you know?: Punter Bryce Baringer, whom Springer called the team's “weapon,” has returned a punt of at least 50 yards in 20 straight games. Since 1970, the NFL record for the longest streak with at least one 50-yard punt is 38 games – set by Shane Lechler of the Raiders from 2007 to 2010.